Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-06-24

and burn them we wouldn't say a
word. 1t isn't against the man who
fought that the feeling exists
, have a respect for them and they for
us. But it is against the men who
stayed at home and did DO fighting,
and who are now pandering to this
sentiment No; burn them up if you
want to, but don't let them go back
the South for the rising generation to
worship. The thing has come like a
thunderbolt to US and we had no
idea or suggestion that such a thing
would be done What business have
the Southern States with them any
way ?"
G.. A. R. EDITORS THOUGHTS.
Maj. j. A. Joel, editor and pub
Usher of the Grand Army Gazette
and National GuardSman, who serv-
ed in the Ohio Twenty-third Regi-
ment under Hays and RosecraDs, and
was severely wounded while captur-
ing rebel flag, said be considered
the order an outrage after so MANY
lives had been sacrificed in capturing
the flags They had been placed in
Washington, he said, in trust by
those who captured them, and belong
ed to the regiments who brought
them in from the battle field. They
thus did not belong to the Govern
ment to give away
Tho ,pI;-,c4.1, i
is suggested meeting be promptly
called of the combined Posts of this
city to frame q protest and forward
it at once to Washington.
NO REBEL FLAGS-THE STATE CAPITAL
AS INDIGNANT AS IF IT DID HAVE
SOME
HARRISBURG, PA, June 16.-Gov.
Beaver arrived home tonight from
Philadelphia and retired Immediately,
leaving orders that he should not be
disturbed. His opinion of the return
Of the rebel flags could not therefore
be learned, but those who are close
to him say that he will not be back
ward in expressing himself vigorous
ly on the subject Pennsylvania has
no rebel flags in its possession. The
big aag-room is filed only with the
torn and tattered banners that were
born at the head Of its regiments in
the fight for the Union Many of
these flags are but handful of rags
that had been torn to pieces by rebel
bullets. Many of them bear blood
stains that can be plainly seen, and
one of them, that of the Eighty-fourth
Regiment, commanded by Col Muir.
ray, of Hollidaysburg, killed at
Winchester by rebel sharpshooter,
bears deep dent in the brass ferule
of the flag staff which saved the life
of the color bearer All these flags
have been photographed separately
for fear that fire or something else
might destroy them.
The veteran soldiers of Harrisburg
are bitterly indignant over the action
of President Cleveland in returning
the rebel flags They were not con-
scious of the insult until reused by
Fairchild's voice To hear them now
is to hear expressions of the strongest
condemnation There are Grand
Army Posts in the city, and it is safe
to say of the 600 members not one
will defer d the President. Old sold
iers in groups talk of nothing else,
and are mad clear through.
"Why," said one tonight, "it is q
shame, an Internal outrage. What
glory have in the fact that | lost
my leg in fight to capture rebel
flag if that same flag is to be hereafter
Haunted in my face by the rebel who
shot me-"
"In 1874 at the meeting of the
Army Of the Potomac in this city,"
said one-armed Corporal Numbers to
the Conn Gazette correspondent, 81
was keeper of the nag-room at the
Capitol and among those who visited
the room were Gems. Sherman and
Sheridan, Adjt-Gen. Russell suggest
ed to the two Generals that some
flags in Washington belonging to
Pennsylvania regiments, which were
captured by the rebels and turned
over to the General Government at
the close Of the war, should be return
ed to Pennsylvania. No, sir said
Sheridan, those flags were recaptur-
cd by the army and nowAbelong to
the Government They should never
be taken away from Washington /
wonder what little Phil thinks of this
move?n